


conceding to stupidity

by QueenVeeples (CherubHope)



Series: the gift of gab [2]
Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Brief Morgan/Aust, Commissioned Work, F/F, Female Friendship, Gen, Humor, shopping shenanigans, stupid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:47:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28014159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherubHope/pseuds/QueenVeeples
Summary: It's time for Detective Aust Brooks to add her own flare to the warehouse. After all, she's gonna live there now.
Relationships: Detective & Natalie "Nat" Sewell, Female Detective & Natalie "Nat" Sewell, Female Detective/Morgan (The Wayhaven Chronicles)
Series: the gift of gab [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2051616
Kudos: 12





	conceding to stupidity

**Author's Note:**

> this is silly.
> 
> commissioned work for @lilas for her m-mancing detective aust brooks and her very dumb friendship with nat.

_Wayhaven Shopping District_  
—

Aust lifted a small statue of a horse, examining it with a bored expression. Everything in this shop is definitely nice - and a quick flip to the statue’s underside to check the price sticker - and also definitely pricey, but boring. To her, at least. Nat was more than enthusiastic to stop in when she eyed some antique something-or-the-other displayed in the window. The crap in here was definitely her realm.

She sighed, setting the statue back down on the dusty table and rolling her neck. This place sucked. She hadn’t found a thing she’d liked enough to want to see it in the warehouse.

Just as she was about to slump into the next room, something shoved into a shadowy corner caught her eye. The light glinted off of dull metal, curling out like it was calling her to come closer. She stepped around the mismatched display tables and cabinets to the corner for a closer look.

When her eyes fell on what happened to be a sign, she knew she could not leave the shop without it.

Even if it meant a little convincing for Nat.

-

Nat was in the farthest, and also largest, room in the shop where most of the large furniture was displayed. Various gargantuan wardrobes, cabinets, end tables, dressers, and a few grandfather clocks crowded the room like soldiers against the walls. Even a few vintage stoves and refrigerators stood in a line together around the center. Nat herself was admiring what looked to be a serving cart, the brass tarnished but frame seemingly pretty steady despite the obvious age and wear. 

Grinning, Aust tapped Nat’s shoulders with the edge of the sign that she held close to her chest. The nearly perpetual smile on Nat’s face fell slightly as she turned and eyed the sign in Aust’s arms.

“You… found something.” A wince sharpened her usual gentle tone.

“Yeah! The most perfect sign I’ve ever seen!” Aust tapped her nails against the wood. “It would look SO perfect in the kitchen, don’t you think?”

A small crease appeared between Nat’s brows as she thought, obviously searching for some kind way to tell Aust that, clearly, she fucking hated it.

“It has an expletive, Aust. You know how I feel about foul language.”

The sign did, in fact, announce the word _‘fuck’_ in large metal cut outs. But the metal was intricately curved in the style of a cursive font like a real brush had been dipped into liquid metal and painted expertly on the stained wood. As far as things that Aust would ever put up on in any living space, it was the classiest thing Aust had ever liked. The kitchen in the warehouse had wooden cabinets in a similar stain and metal detailing that would complement the metal lettering.

Getting this sign to pass Nat’s scrutiny relied on that.

“But look, see, it would totally match the things in the kitchen!” Aust gestured enthusiastically. “I asked the dude up front about it, the materials are all reclaimed from some like, I don’t know, closed factory? So that’s cool. And a local artist made it on request but the guy never picked it up and so he’s hoping someone will buy it! So we would be supporting someone here in Wayhaven, so like, yay!”

Throughout her tirade, the usual gleam in Nat’s eyes dimmed further and further while her smile drew fractionally more tense. She still nodded along, listening politely to Aust’s selling points. When she finally trailed off and only offered Nat a cheeky, bright smile, Nat drew in a practiced breath.

“No.”

Despite the terse response, Aust’s enthusiasm didn’t wane, not one bit. She sort of expected it wouldn’t take on first pass and that Nat would need a little more convincing, so she was prepared for it!

“Well, what we could do is cover up the ‘u’ maybe so it wouldn’t say f-“

“No, that would just make it tacky!” Nat cut her off, her hands flying up as if she could physically stop the word from coming out.

“Maybe I can just commission the guy so it says frick instead?” Aust gasped as an idea popped in her head. “Or no, fork, because I want to put it in the kitchen! Get it? Fork, kitchen?”

“Yes Aust,” Nat sighed, looking quite exasperated. “I do understand what you’re getting at. Still, no.”

“Okay, but hear me out,” Aust lowered the sign so it rested against her legs. She gestured wildly as she started the second wave. “I am really excited to be moving to the warehouse! You’re all my people and you’re my best friend-“ Nat’s expression softened a bit at that, so Aust dug deeper into that note. “-which is why I wanted to go home shopping with you! I wanted something that would be kind of like your taste so it wouldn’t clash so much but something that would still reflect my taste too. I wanted to marry the two and this sign would work!”

Aust slapped her hand against the side of the sign for emphasis. “I’m so happy you want me to feel more at home at the warehouse! That’s pretty cool of you Nat. Would you really not get used to the sign enough that you could just ignore it?”

She struggled to hide the excited grin that threatened to bloom across her face at Nat’s hesitation. Nat pulled in her bottom lip slightly in thought, truly, actually considering her argument. Her eyes darted to the sign, a flash of distaste and uncertainty briefly crossing her eyes, before settling back on Aust’s face.

“...Not in the kitchen,” Nat’s shoulders sagged in defeat. “I would find the sign much too distracting, regardless of how well it would blend in to the rest of the decor. The kitchen is one of my favorite rooms, so I’m afraid I just wouldn’t be happy with it there. But if you’d like, we can hang it in the social space?”

It was a concession, but still a victory. Aust squealed and threw her arms around Nat, giving her a great big squeeze. With a chuckle and a shake of her head, Nat returned the embrace, patting her back emphatically.

“You got a deal! I’m gonna go drag this sucker up front and get it all wrapped up!” Aust hauled the sign back into her arms, missing the genuine smile from Nat that followed in her wake.

_The Warehouse Social Area_  
—

Aust stepped back from her claimed wall space, a pleased grin in place, hands on her hips. There were already a few things hanging on the wall that Nat conceded to giving up for the sign, so she had helped her pull down the existing decor and find the best way to frame them around the sign. With how nice the materials were and the other surrounding items, it looked pretty nice for what it was.

It didn’t stop her from fully taking in the sign and letting out a childish snort. Nat sighed next to her.

“Oh come on, Nat, you know I got it because I find it so funny.”

“That much is clear,” Nat crossed her arms, eyeing the wall like she was analyzing some fine piece of art. “I suppose it lends… a certain charm. This area is where we’re the most loose, so it makes the most sense.”

“Aw see, I knew you could come around to liking it!” Aust nudged her arm.

Nat’s lips curved up in a small, mischievous smile. “Liking is a rather strong word.”

It was unusual for Nat to be so sarcastic like that. Aust let out a whooping laugh of appreciation, smacking the side of her leg. Nat chuckled in tempo, and Aust couldn’t help but enjoy the warm moment between them and how much she did actually enjoy spending the day shopping with Nat.

The last of their chuckles died down in time for Morgan to stride into the room. Her eyes fell immediately on Aust before roaming to the wall behind her. She cocked a brow.

“Alive… aha… fuck?”

The deadpan way Morgan recited the sign’s proud message sent Aust back into a reeling, roaring laugh. Nat winced, looking decidedly less enthusiastic at the amused smirk that flitted across Morgan’s face.


End file.
